Empowering organisations to succeed.

Unlike other firms, we don't want to create dependency, we want to empower you.

By providing you with advice and practical help, our aim is to enable you to develop personal confidence and knowledge, as well as tools and expertise to support your organisation to succeed.

We are committed to helping individuals, teams and organisational cultures to flourish and grow - whatever your size or situation.

We use legal frameworks and people management expertise to remove any barriers to success. Our own business structure means that our fees are fair and won't hinder your growth.

An uncommon practice

Starford arose from the need for employment law to address the way that people management really works, across organisations large and small.

Not your typical employment law firm, we don't sit back and give advice that's hard to understand and difficult to implement, at eye-watering cost. We're happy to get involved in the details of your problem and walk alongside you in implementing a solution. We will work with you as part of your team.

We have a network of experienced employment law associates, conveniently located close to where you conduct your business. Whether it's visiting your headquarters, your home office or an informal meeting in a cafe, we encourage meeting face to face, as we really want to get to know you and the things that you deal with day to day in getting the best out of your people.

Our team

Julie Jones

"As an employment lawyer I come from the traditional law firm background, where I worked my way up to being a partner in a large and well respected regional law firm. But before I became a lawyer, I spent many years running my own business and employing other people, and I felt that the traditional law firm structure wasn't always able to provide the support that clients were looking for in finding the right solutions for their people.

I started Starford because I wanted to work more closely with my clients, genuinely becoming part of their in-house team, without them worrying about exorbitant legal fees. I wanted to work only with people who want to do the right thing, whether by their company, by their people or by the law.

I also wanted to create a law firm that could offer flexibility for its lawyers, and that's what Starford does. We don't have a head office, and all of my consultant solicitors work from home, during hours that suit them and the clients they work with. All good relationships are built on trust - the trust that I have built with my clients and the trust that I have for the consultant solicitors who work with me.

As an experienced employment lawyer, I can support my clients on all aspects of employment law and all kinds of HR project. I am also a qualified employment and workplace mediator, and I enjoy enabling people to find solutions to seemingly intractable issues.

Every company will say that their most important asset is their people. My passion is helping individuals, teams and organisations to flourish by empowering them get the most out of their most important asset."

Amanda Lyons

"I am a qualified solicitor specialising in employment law. Having previously worked as an associate at a traditional law firm, and more recently in-house as Head of Legal and then Head of People & Policy, I have joined Starford as a consultant solicitor.

I have extensive experience in advising businesses on complex and strategic HR matters, and can draw on both my legal and operational experience to give advice that is relevant, practical and to the point. I am also able to advise employers who require more day-to-day HR assistance, as well as providing bespoke in-house training programmes for managers and HR professionals.

I work closely with all of my clients to really understand their requirements and their working culture, and to help them achieve their wider business objectives.

Working as a consultant solicitor with Starford gives me the working flexibility that I need, and Starford allows me the opportunity to work with our clients more closely, providing the support that they need when they need it."

Sally Hillman

"With a pragmatic approach, borne of many years’ experience in multiple industries at a senior level, my career has spanned 5* sports and leisure clubs, hotels, restaurants, corporate hospitality, fine dining and contract catering. With experience in sales, marketing, procurement and operations at director level.

Working for many notable FTSE 100, Fortune 500 organisations as well as private independent businesses, I have repeatedly identified ways to improve the operation of the businesses I was responsible for as well as driving financial benefits, through both tactical methods and sustainable strategic change. Now I want to use that experience to support my own clients. I am committed, energetic, adaptable and driven by a desire to continuously improve business performance.

A great deal of my success has been built through the strong relationships I have with clients and my own team. Integrity too is of critical importance as I see it as the most important principle of leadership and it underpins everything I stand for.

As part of the Starford team I know how important client relationships and integrity are, both as individuals and as a team."